Pead was a terrific runner in high school and took home an Ohio Division II championship in the 400-meter dash in 2007 and won gold in the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Eastmoor Academy Invitational. He went on to have a terrific career as a running back at the University of Cincinnati. He was drafted in 2012 but struggled with injuries and never finished a season with more than 10 carries.

Pead, who would be 30 at the 2020 games in Tokyo, told TMZ last month, “If they let me on the track, I’m goin’ for the gold, period.” On Friday, he took another big step in the right direction in what would be a truly amazing comeback story.

Isaiah Pead is on the comeback trail. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)